I liked Jason Statham’shyper-competent character in The Transporter. A character like that would have to exercise more than the average amount of discipline. Life would consist of months of routine preparation punctuated by high-speed chases. During those boring months, it would be necessary to avoid attracting any attention. In particular, a successful transporter would have to obey traffic laws fastidiously, even though he is driving a car capable of torpedoing the speed limit. Any unnecessary risk would jeopardize his entire career.

So the best way to drive like a transporter is to observe the speed limit. You can tell yourself that you’re driving like an action hero would–an action hero who is lying low. You’re showing that you’ve got the extra discipline it takes to perform at that level.

My wife and I used to be in the habit of driving exactly the speed limit, without exceeding it by even a fraction. We used to say that we were being superheros. The irony was fun for us.

I kept it up awhile because it turns out that I like the feeling of obeying the speed limit. There is real peace in knowing that you don’t have to be on the lookout for a cop.